George Simenon
George Simenon, the famous Belgian creator of Maigret and one of the most prolific novelists of any time, would turn out a novel in around ten days. When he was 'with novel' as he used to declare himself to be,he was not to be disturbed.
In five to seven days the first draft would be completed. Written with a passionate intensity and never even the slightest hint of an edit. Then he would spend the next three days knocking it into shape.
A process that the great man describes, as one of 'Write Write Write' followed by 'Cut Cut Cut'. A whirlwind of a process that would leave many of us lesser mortals a bit dizzy, and more than a little drained.
Now of course most of us do not choose to work in such an intense fashion. Make no mistake however, work is what we do. The more we practice the art of writing the better we become.The more work we do, of necessity, the more time we spend at our desks. Ours is a sedentary although physical endeavor, an oxymoron of a description, if ever I heard one. No less true for that.
However, physical it most certainly is; and we owe it to ourselves to take time time to look after our physical well being. The person of the writer.. Here are a few ways that I have found helpful, perhaps they will resonate with you on some level, in which case I do encourage you to work them into your day as best you may....
In five to seven days the first draft would be completed. Written with a passionate intensity and never even the slightest hint of an edit. Then he would spend the next three days knocking it into shape.
A process that the great man describes, as one of 'Write Write Write' followed by 'Cut Cut Cut'. A whirlwind of a process that would leave many of us lesser mortals a bit dizzy, and more than a little drained.
Now of course most of us do not choose to work in such an intense fashion. Make no mistake however, work is what we do. The more we practice the art of writing the better we become.The more work we do, of necessity, the more time we spend at our desks. Ours is a sedentary although physical endeavor, an oxymoron of a description, if ever I heard one. No less true for that.
However, physical it most certainly is; and we owe it to ourselves to take time time to look after our physical well being. The person of the writer.. Here are a few ways that I have found helpful, perhaps they will resonate with you on some level, in which case I do encourage you to work them into your day as best you may....
Intermittent Writing....
Instead of sitting down to write your daily word count in one session. Consider doing your writing in manageable chunks. Incremental writing allows us to get up and do something else. Make a coffee or do 10 - 15 minutes exercise, or get out in the fresh air, do some gardening, or go for a walk.
Studies consistently show that writing in increments increases productivity, improves muscle tone, increases oxygenation, stimulates creativity, the immune system, and increases longevity.
So for George Simenon 'Being with Book' may have been the best way to go. It worked for him and that's fine. For the rest of us though there are compelling reasons for us to consider giving Intermittent writing a try. While you're at it, keep an eye on your word count. I'd love to know how much it increases. Happy Writing.
Comments
Post a Comment